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Multnomah County Animal Services reminds dog and cat owners this Fourth of July weekend to take extra care of their pets when fireworks may be alarming the animals to the point that they run away.

During the first week of July, the county’s shelter (1700 W. Columbia River Hwy.) usually experiences a 24 percent increase in intake of cats and dogs, compared to a typical 10-day period in the summer.

“Fireworks means the shelter gets more lost animals,’’ said Mike Oswald, director of Multnomah County Animal Services. “But the good news is pet owners can take a few simple steps to make sure their animal remains safe this weekend.”

If possible, animals should be kept inside and in a room without windows, Oswald said.

Another step pet owners can take to lessen the chance of losing their animal is to make sure the animal is licensed with a tag that has identifying information.